The outcome of the ANCs long-awaited KwaZulu-Natal conference was a win for the Thuma Mina crowd. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
The project is funded by the European Union and administered by the Jacana Literary Foundation, in partnership with the M&G Literary Festival.
Thabiso “Afurakan” Mohare (adjudication of poetry in English), Goodenough Mashego (adjudication of poetry in indigenous languages) and Pieter Odendaal (adjudication of poetry in Afrikaans) compiled the longlist.
Professor Mongane Wally Serote, as chair of the panel, will select the top three poems.
The work submitted is judged blind, and the longlist will be published in volume six of the anthology.
A shortlist of three poets selected from the longlist will be announced on September 23. They will be invited to attend the M&G Literary Festival, where the winner will be announced and cash prizes awarded for first, second and third place.
The judges have sought poems that reveal the political and social attitudes of our time and reflect the complex, nuanced and uncomfortable truths of life in South Africa.
All established, esteemed poets themselves, they each bring a unique perspective — Mohare and Odendaal the relevance and brilliance of the lively spoken word and slam poetry scene in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively, Mashego the skill of a multlingual, multitalented wordsmith, and Serote an unrivalled literary sensibility.
In alphabetical order by surname, the longlisted poems and poets are:
Hotnots-Kánon, Caroline F Archer *
Battleground, Mutinta Bbenkele *
Eden’s Knell, Tanisha Bhana
In the Mood to Monkey, Zéwande Bk Bhengu *
Kleedrepetisie, Rene Bohnen *
Pipe Dream, Kathryn Clare Botes
The Thirst, Dianne Case
Terra Nullius — The Marikana Story, Christine Coates
Winter Cold, Bella (B-Lyrical) Cox *
Choking, Bella (B-Lyrical) Cox
All Change, Lise Day
The Archbishop’s Lament, Graham Dukas
Metamorphosis, Graham Dukas
The Place of the Jackal, Elaine Edwards
In Response to Seeing an African Woman Abba a Dog on Facebook, Connie Fick *
Re Kwala Tse Di Swa, Tshepo Gaerupe
Hlal’ Aph’ Emzini Ngob’ iinkomo Ziyathetha, Nobuntu Gantana *
Dragons and Flames, Sarah Godsell
Mother and Daughter Walk, Dorian Haarhoff
Father and Son Song, Dorian Haarhoff *
Flesh and Bone Tango, Dorian Haarhoff
Coming Home, Kerry Hammerton
X-mas-tide, Jay Heale
Aba Te, Tracey (Khadija) Heeger *
Slow Cooker, Heidi Elisabeth Henning
Mambhele’s Harvest, Siphokazi Jonas *
Weekly Service, Siphokazi Jonas *
I Am Beautiful, Fiona Khan
Class, Musawenkosi Khanyile
Church, Musawenkosi Khanyile *
Omring, Lara Kirsten *
Ribbons on the Fence, Lynne Kloot
Ntso Yamathile, Nomnikelo Komanisi
There’s a Me That’s Still Not Free, Portia Mabaso
Mothers, Warn Your Daughters of Gay Love, Portia Mabaso
Hip Hop, Songeziwe Mahlangu
Apartheid in the Sky, Patrick Maitland
They Came, Patrick Maitland
Salute to Klipspruit River, Maishe Maponya
The TRC — On the Box, Maishe Maponya
The Power-point Poet, Maishe Maponya
Cape Town, Charles Marriott *
Johannes Si Bheke, Kela Maswabi *
Uphahla, Zongezile Theophilus Matshoba
Go Dikgaitsedi Tsa Lefsiffsi, Katise Mawela
Ikasi Lami, Ongezwa Mbele
Puinhoop, Marthé Mcloud
Ho Thaba Ba Ileng, Thabiso Mofokeng
Difaqane, Maneo Refiloe Mohale
Gauta O Ja Batho, Tsietsi Mokhele *
Yet More Stones, George Momogos
Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung, Jackie Mondi
A Hungry Stomach Has No Ears, Jackie Mondi
Variations in Colour, Nedine Moonsamy
Laniwani, Moses Mtileni *
The House We Built, Sifiso Mtshali
To Mos Def in the Woolworths Queue, Nick Mulgrew *
Four Minutes, Luthando Ncayiyana
The Barksole Man, Pamela Newham
To Those Fluttering Beings, Mandla Robert Ngakane
Not Another Nurse’s Tale, Mandla Robert Ngakane
A Thankless Labour, Vuyokazi Ngemntu
They Never Died, Bomikazi Njoloza
Ilizwe Lam, Amanda Nodada
Cassette, Sihle Ntuli
Reflection, Lazola Pambo
Like a Log, Jim Pascual Agustin
Black Joy, Koleka Putuma *
Resurrection, Koleka Putuma *
Bedtime Stories for Our Little Girls, Sibongile Ralana
A Penny for Your Thoughts, Sibongile Ralana
Power, Arja Salafranca
Collateral Damage, Ferdie Schaller
The Burning Man, Ferdie Schaller *
Boots for Little Boys, Ferdie Schaller
Oogaf, Karin Schimke
Uncle Tom, Kori Sefeane
Auschwitz, Kori Sefeane
Fix Me, Sinazo Somhlahlo
A Revolution, Caitlin Spring
Mine Will Be of Africa, David C. Steyn
Even Birds, Caitlin Stobie
Refugee 70, Louella Sullivan
Theatre of Hearts, Elizabeth Trew
Sthandwa Sam’, Lesego Tsoho
Ngiyabonga Mama, Lesego Tsoho
In My Cupboard, Troydon Wainwright
A Wedding Poem, Troydon Wainwright
Investment Returns, Athol Williams
Visit at Tea Time, Athol Williams *
Missing, Sue Woodward
* = Highly commended